Water theme parks have become popular in recent years. Water theme parks generally consist of water rides which allow participants to perform various maneuvers or activities in connection with the movement of water thereon. For example, many water parks have water slides that are elongated concave tracks that extend downhill and have water flowing thereon to allow participants to slide down at relatively high speeds. There are also lazy rivers that are man-made channels through which a river-like flow of water is provided to simulate the movement of water down a river. Another popular attraction is the wave pool, which is a man-made body of water, wherein a wave generator is located at one end of the pool, and a simulated beach is located at the other end, wherein waves upon which participants can perform maneuvers are created that travel across the pool from one end to the other.
Another water ride specifically designed to simulate the phenomenon and experience of surfing is a sheet wave water ride known as the Flow Rider® or Wave Loch® which were developed by Applicant. These water rides comprise a padded surface configured and contoured with an incline or wave shape thereon, wherein a sheet flow of water under high pressure is injected onto the ride surface, wherein the water hugs and conforms to the shape of the ride surface, thereby creating a standing wave formation upon which surfing and other skimming maneuvers can be performed. The ride surface in such case is usually adapted so that the flow of water travels from a relatively low point to a relatively high point, wherein a participant can ride on the sheet flow of water, and use gravity to maintain equilibrium thereon. That is, as the sheet flow of water travels upward on the ride surface, the participant is propelled upwardly by the water flow, while at the same time, can use gravity to counteract the upward momentum, to maintain an equilibrium position on the ride surface, which, with enough practice, can be for an extended, if not, indefinite, period of time.
Because various maneuvers are intended to be performed on the ride surface, and because the water ride is designed to propel water under relatively high pressure onto the ride surface, it is important for safety reasons to construct the ride surface using a relatively soft and forgiving material, i.e., in case a participant should fall and land on the ride surface. That is, since the ride surface is configured to enable various maneuvers to be performed thereon, and the water is moving at a rapid pace, the likelihood that a participant could fall and land on the ride surface and become injured must be taken into account, wherein the surface must be constructed in a manner that reduces the possibility of injuries occurring when a participant attempts to ride the ride. Similar water ride elements that require padding are waterslides, river rides and splashdown pools. Often times a waterslide or river ride has a section that requires padding in order to offer collision protection for its participants due to gravity or hydraulically induced interaction between the rider and attraction sides or bottom. Similarly the splashdown pool for a water slide is an area where padding is often needed to soften rider impact and transitions from a high speed to a low speed condition.
Various manufacturing techniques have been used in the past to create a soft and forgiving ride surface in conjunction with water rides. For example, a padded surface comprising an exterior paint coating of waterproofing material and a non-water absorbing foam material underneath has been used in the past to provide a cushioning effect for the water ride surface. To manufacture padded water rides, rolls of closed cell poly-urethane foam were typically unrolled and formed and adhered onto the supporting solid structure, and then, a poly-urethane paint was sprayed or rolled out to create a substantially water impervious barrier with a padded substrate underneath that is both forgiving and ideally waterproof.
One of the disadvantages of this type of construction, however, has been the possibility of water leaking through the waterproof membrane and into the padded substrate underneath, which can lead to deterioration of the glue bonds and/or water trapped beneath the ride surface substrate. For example, when the fusion or adhesion between the polyurethane spray coated waterproofing material is weak or otherwise begins to separate from the underlying foam, or if the poly-urethane top-coat itself begins to wear, i.e., form holes over time, water could eventually seep into the padded substrate through the coating. And although the polyurethane coating is made of durable waterproof materials, the constant expansion and contraction caused by the sun's heat, and the constant wear that occurs by virtue of having participants ride, slide, or bump on the surface repeatedly, can cause this coating to wear down, wherein small cracks, rips, tears and/or even pin-sized holes can be formed thereon, through which water can pass and seep into the padded substrate underneath.
The main problems that can occur when water makes its way underneath the waterproof coating are as follows: First, the water can build up underneath the coating and be stored in pockets either above or below the padded substrate. Pressure from passing water can cause these pockets to grow in size, causing de-laminations in the glue bond between the coating and ride surface or the foam and structural substrate. Second, when the ride is not operating and the hot sun beats down on top of the ride surface, the water that has leaked into the substrate can expand and cause the waterproof coating to blister and bubble. Third, the blistering and bubbling of the waterproof coating can cause additional pressure (much like the expansion of steam in a pressure cooker) causing the coating to break its glue bond and separate from the foam material underneath. Fourth, the water can seep or percolate to the area between the closed cell polyurethane foam and the structural subsurface (e.g., concrete, fiberglass, steel, etc.) and likewise, either through water pressure or sun-induced heat water expansion pressure, cause the top-coat to separate from the foam, or foam to separate from its structural support. The foam separations, glue del-laminations, or top-coat blisters and bubbles can negatively affect the smoothness and therefore performance of the ride surface, and make the coatings, glue and foam more susceptible to further damage.
What is needed therefore is a method and system of improving the ride surface of a water ride to avoid the problems that can occur when water leaks through any coatings and into the padded substrate underneath.